UK consumers taking mobile security into their own hands

Mobile web users across the UK are increasingly downloading VPN (virtual private network) apps in a bid to safeguard their online sessions, new research from Internet security firm AnchorFree has revealed.
The Silicon Valley-based company found that active mobile users of its free Hotspot Shield VPN increased by 434 per cent in the UK last year, while the number of total installs spiked by 865 per cent globally.
This surge in global downloads can be attributed to increasing awareness of cyber threats. In 2011 the UK alone fell victim to 44 million attacks, leading a number consumers to download the app in order to securely browse the web and access content often unavailable in certain countries.
AnchorFree’s findings reflect the global appetite for all things mobile, with Gartner estimating that mobile devices will overtake personal computers to become the most common web access tools this year. Furthermore, with three billion people predicted to use the Internet by 2016, the annual cost of UK cybercrime could reach £27 billion. With this in mind, hackers and cyber criminals are continuing to exploit unprotected Wi-Fi and lax mobile web security.
“The UK is a big growth opportunity for VPN providers, as users are really starting to understand the risks of unsecure browsing – particularly from public Wi-Fi hotspots,” said David Gorodyansky, CEO, AnchorFree.
“Anti-virus software alone just isn’t cutting it when it comes to effectively repelling malware threats and identity theft. This is why our active user base is expanding so rapidly – particularly in the mobility space. Hotspot Shield is all about protecting you and your online identity.”

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